I am a former Pentecostal evangelist who renounced his beliefs for atheism in 1994. I have decided to write a blog where I share my thoughts and ideas about Christianity in general and the biblical God.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Three words theists don't like to hear!

Based on the many debates I have had with theists I have come to the conclusion that there are three words that theists do not like to hear. It seems to me that theists want certainty although their faiths are no based on certainty but rather on faith. They convince themselves that what they choose to believe is true despite any facts that may prove otherwise.

One of the most ironic things about theists is that they demand from science absolute and definitive answers as to the origins of the universe and life. This demonstrates to me that they obviously don't understand the scientific method. Let me tell you what science is not. Science is not: absolute and it never makes such claims. Scientists are well aware that a theory is always subject to change or be discarded altogether due to the discovery of better evidence that explains whatever phenomenon they are trying to understand better.

The scientific method

The only step missing in the diagram above is the last and final step of submitting your work for peer review. Scientists are not only trying to prove their theories correct, during their research they are also trying to falsify their conclusions. Scientists understand fully that no matter how good a theory may sound it just might be incorrect. This brings me to my next point: the word theory for scientists does not have the same meaning that it does in every day parlance to the laymen. Let's look at both definitions so that we can tease out the difference.

: an idea or set of ideas that is intended to explain facts or events
: an idea that is suggested or presented as possibly true but that is not known or proven to be true

Scientific theory
:A scientific theory is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect
of the natural world, based on a body of facts that have been repeatedly
confirmed through observation and experiment.

The first one is the way most people define the word theory. Apologists love to use this definition in their arguments to deceive and obfuscate the masses of the facts. This is made most evident when you hear them say "it's only a theory" when referring to evolution in their pathetic counter arguments. This definition of a theory only amounts to nothing more than a best guess. Theists believe without a doubt that their theory of everything (God did it) is unassailable, irrefutable and absolute.

The second definition of the word is a far cry from what that same word means to the layman. Notice in the definition all of the words I have underlined for instance. The first thing to note is that it is based on a fact or series of facts that have been confirmed by peers in the field. It has been done through observation and experimentation. Finally, others have tried those tests and experiments with the goal of confirming or falsifying the theory.

Now here is the problem with the theists claim that God exists and most of all that he is the answer to every mystery in the universe. In order for a scientific theory to be valid it must be falsifiable in other words it must be subjected to scientific testing and scrutiny. God on the other hand cannot be falsified because his existence cannot be proven in a lab or put to scientific scrutiny. God is a theory as it is defined for the layman. He is accepted as truth but cannot be proven. Theists accept some of the most ridiculous claims contained in their so called holy texts as facts without evidence. If it's in the book then it has to be true. This reminds me of the famous fundamentalist Christian cliche' "God said it, I believe it, that settles it!"

This brings us to my final problem with theistic claims based on so called "holy texts." Everything that is in those texts are taken as absolute facts no matter how insane the claim. Talking snakes, donkey's, floating steel axes, flying fiery chariots, water coming forth from a rock, etc. If any of these claims were considered outside of a religious context you would think that the one making the claims was nothing more than a complete nut.

What are the three words that all theists hate to hear? The words are "I don't know." These three words are not acceptable to theists. They want certainty and they could only get that through the illusions created by their faith of preference. They can't accept the fact that their faith in ancient myths and superstitions are not based on facts. Their deities are the creations of men and are beyond the reach of scientific scrutiny and confirmation. Faith is the ultimate display of willful ignorance and the rejection of reason. Their mantra is "I know, because the Bible/Koran or any other holy texts I accept as truth tells me so.

Agreed. Especially on "theory." I get annoyed even when people use it like "well, I have a theory that..." I'd rather see it ONLY used in the scientific sense and use something like "idea" or "guess" instead. Using "theory" in that sense only helps to make the general public not know what one is - even though we were taught it in Jr High School Science. Of course most of the people who say "it's only a theory" are either stupid or intentionally misusing it in order to mislead.

About Me

From 1990-1994 I was a Pentecostal evangelist from a very fundamentalist literalist church. At the time I believed I was saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Ghost!
In those days I lived, ate, and slept the gospel. During the week I was in church on Tuesdays Thursdays, and Sunday's. On Saturday and Sunday I was usually on one of two of Brooklyn, NY street corners preaching the gospel with my partner in the ministry. My specialty was exorcisms aka as a deliverance ministry.
I believed I walked and talked with Jesus in those days every minute of every hour. I was as fanactically entrenched in my beliefs as any one could possibly be.
I have been an atheist since 1994 when I abandoned my church and former beliefs. But it was not easy and no one was able to get me to the realization that my beliefs were false and my experiences a delusion. It took my reading the Bible in its entirety to realize that the God of the Bible was not worthy of worship and was not love. I saw more morality in myself than I did in the biblical monster